The Tempest
by ever-of-woods-beyond
Summary: "Well, your daddy will pay a nice price for your pretty head, won't he?" Tedros didn't mean to get kidnapped (and held for ransom) by Tempest, Queen of the Seas. But fate never came out in his favour, especially when he begins to untangle a complicated web of secrets and lies- which he's the cause of, along with his missing childhood friend, Agatha...
1. The Raid

**Chapter 1:**

 **Tedros POV:**

Tedros sighed, leaning on the mast of the ship. Last day of being a carefree prince. Well, carefree was an overstatement. More like he didn't have to run a country. But, when he returned, he'd be King of Camelot. And by his side, his Queen, Sophie. Who he didn't want to marry, and she didn't want to marry him. They just didn't love each other. They were friends, sure, but childhood friends hardly ever means love. But arranged marriages are his father's word, and his father's word is law. _Was_ law.

King Arthur was stepping down, and handing his son the throne. He had been a noble and great king in his younger years, but his wife and Tedros' mother, Guinevere, had run off with a knight, Sir Lancelot, plunging Arthur into jealousy and heartbreak. He became a tyrant, hoarding gold, tossing people into poverty and executing anyone who tried to stand up to him. It took Tedros threatening to run away to stay his father's hand and to bring the country back into a relative state of peace. Tedros had wondered how different it might have been if his mother had stayed-

"PRINCE TEDROS THERES ANOTHER SHIP AND ITS COMING REALLY FAST I THINK IT'S _THE_ _DAMNED LADY_ -"

"Woah, woah, calm down Tristan." frowned Tedros, standing up straight as one of the sailors, a particular friend of his, bolted across the deck like hell was after him. "What's the damned lady?"

"The Damned Lady is a Pirate ship sire, surely you've heard of it. Her captain, Tempest is as close as a woman gets to a demon, everytime there's a ship of men she kidnaps them all and-"

"Demands a huge ransom to return them. Some men die if they were poor. Well, they're never seen again, assumed dead." Finished Tedros, remembering the tale his tutor, Merlin had told him.

"Yes sire! And-"

"ITS THEMMMMMMMM!" screamed Chaddick, leaping down from the mast. "TEDROS GET OUTTA HERE! THOSE SHE-DEVILS WOULD LOVE YOU AS A HOSTAGE, GOD KNOWS IF YOU'D EVER BE SEEN AGAIN-"

Panic erupted on board as another ship swept from the nearby fog, moving much, much, faster than Tedros had ever seen a ship move before…

"GO, GO, GO!" screamed Nicholas, grabbing the back of Tedros' jacket and wrenching the prince across the deck.

"Stop, I'll fight-"

"You can't fight, sire, there's dozen more of them then there is of us-"

"GET 'EM GIRLS, WE HIT THE JACKPOT TODAY!"

Chaddick cursed.

"WE FIGHT, BOYS!" yelled Tedros, ripping his sword out of his scabbard.

And the _Damned Lady_ drew up beside their ship.

A huge, towering ship of black oak wood loomed above them, rigging looking like twining snakes, bloody flag of a leering skull and crossbones,(seriously, pirates actually used that?), blood-red sails, a figurehead of a screaming man and-

KA-THUNK!

Grappling hooks launched from the ship, and latched onto their mast, causing the piece of wood to sway and teeter- As girls came sliding across the ropes.

The crew of the _Damned Lady_ were armed to the teeth with swords, pistols, daggers, and whips. They swarmed onto the deck, whooping and shrieking with joy, crashing into petrified boys and men, shattering barrels of oil on the deck, lighting the oil…

Tedros ripped the hood of his cloak over his head, hoping not to be recognised, and plunged into the battle.

Around the now raging fires on the deck fought the two separate crews, exchanging hits and shots- _shots._

 _Tedros, you bloody idiot! They've got GUNS!_

The crack of a pistol and the spread of pain in his shoulder guaranteed a hit, but Tedros ignored the blood trickling down his back and continued to fight, crossing swords with a girl who seemed to have a demon tattooed on her neck-

Demon-Tattoo kicked him in the stomach, and he staggered backwards-

A gun barrel pressed to the back of his head, and an arm locked around his throat, ripping his hood down.

"STAND DOWN, SAILORS, OR I'LL SHOOT THE PRINCE!" roared a female voice behind him, a voice filled with such authority that Tedros knew it was only one woman it could belong to.

The Captain, Tempest.

Chaddick staggered up, nose dripping blood, eye swollen.

"You want him for ransom, you won't shoot him-"

 _Crack._

Agony shot up the back of Tedros' knee, and he yelled in pain, his leg giving way beneath him as he dropped to one knee, blood pooling beneath him, vision swimming black…

 _She'd shot him in the leg._

"It'll be his head next." Snarled the Captain, stalking around him to press the gun to his temple, and Tedros got his first good look at Tempest.

Her long ebony hair tumbled from beneath the trademark three-cornered hat, her brown eyes stood out from her pale skin. She had three knives and another pistol at her belt, and she wore a white shirt, a dark brown leather jacket, breeches, heeled boots and several red scarves tied around her waist with her belt. Maybe it was just Tedros' comatose state, but she was beautiful.

"If there's no objections, I'll take Prince Prettyface. The rest if you can put out the ships fire, and try and get word to his daddy. But I guarantee I'll do it first. Adieu, boys."

Tempest grabbed his arm, and dragged him along the deck like a sack- And, head swimming, Tedros fainted.


	2. Pendragon

**Chapter 2:**

 **Tedros POV:**

Tedros blearily cracked open an eye. Where was he? Why couldn't he move his left leg? Wh-

"Ow!"

"Oh, good, you're not dead."

Tedros propped himself up on one elbow and saw Tempest stood in the doorway, flanked by Demon-Tattoo and an albino girl.

Oh yeah…

Bitch.

"You shot me in the _leg_!" he barked angrily. "And I get oh, you're _not dead_?"

"You're not." Snapped Tempest, folding her arms.

Tedros scowled, but decided to drop it.

"How long was I out?"

Tempest shrugged. "I don't know. Twelve hours?"

"Twelve _hours_?"

"That's what I said."

Tedros groaned and flopped back onto the floor, realising as he did so, that his wounds, both shoulder and leg, were bound and cleaned. He sat back up in surprise.

"You treated the wounds?" He asked, intrigued as to why she hadn't left him in pain and possible infection.

Tempest scowled.

"Now I wish I'd gagged you. You talk a lot." But as she spoke, the captain drew a folded piece of paper from her jacket and tossed it at him.

Tedros unfolded it, curious.

 _King Arthur of Camelot_

 _I have your son, Prince Tedros, held at ransom upon my ship, The Damned Lady, and I will not return him to you until you deliver me payment that you and I both see as fit. I shall come to negotiate these terms and return your son to you on the 12_ _th_ _of July. Do not try to ambush or attack me. I am merely making my living. I will return Tedros alive, and uninjured,_ _if_ _you hold to your part of the promise. I'll say it again. Do not try to ambush or attack me and my crew._

 _Because I know for a fact Camelot has no guns._

 _I await our negotiation._

 _Tempest, Captain of The Damned Lady._

Tedros gaped at the demands.

"Ok, first, UNHARMED? You shot me! Second, you're blackmailing my father! Third, 12th of July is, what, in five days? Fourth, you're probably going to try and kill my father-"

"SHUT UP, YOU STUPID BOY!" thundered Tempest, eyes blazing. "YOU'RE ACCUSING ME OF WANTING TO KILL YOUR FATHER? BET YOU THINK I WANT CAMELOT TOO. NO. I WANT RANSOM. I'M A _PIRATE_ , TEDROS PENDRAGON, AND I WILL BE UNTIL THE DAY I DIE."

Tedros couldn't breathe. Tedros _Pendragon_? _Pendragon_?

No one knew the nickname he gave himself when he was 8. No one but Sophie…

And Agatha.

" _C'mon Tedros!" squealed Sophie, grabbing his hand and dragging him along, through the sun-drenched square and towards the meadow where the three friends played. "I'll be the princess, Aggie can be the prince and you can be the dragon!"_

 _Tedros considered this as he swung up onto the wall next to Agatha (who was dressed in boy's clothes) and Sophie next to him._

" _Why am I the dragon?" he asked, frowning._

" _Uh…" Agatha scratched her head. "Cause…uh…I don't know."_

" _Because..."_

" _Because…"_

 _Agatha and Sophie looked at each other and shrugged._

" _Cause you are now! You call yourself Pendragon, right?"_

 _Tedros grinned suddenly._

" _Okay."_

 _He grabbed Sophie's wrist and sprinted off, pulling her onto his back, whilst Sophie squealed, calling to Agatha._

" _Help me, valiant Prince!" she cried. "The terrifying Pendragon has captured me!"_

 _Agatha scrambled up a large oak tree, laughing, and watched until Tedros set Sophie on her feet- and Agatha leaped down from the tree, and landed on Tedros, sending the two crashing into a large pile of leaves._

 _Agatha leaped to her feet and wrenched a long stick from the ground, and placed it on Tedros' throat._

" _Fear not, milady, for I shall slay the dragon!"_

 _Tedros tried not to laugh. Sophie giggled and clapped her hands._

" _Yay! My hero!"_

 _The three burst into laughter, whilst Agatha helped Tedros up and tossed the stick aside._

" _Okay, swap roles." Sang Sophie. "I'm the Prince, Tedros is the Princess-"_

" _What?"_

" _And Agatha's the dragon!"_

Tedros watched the blood drain from Tempest's face, and her hand fly to her mouth, as if she had said something she shouldn't have.

"How did you know that?" croaked Tedros, eyes wide. "How did you know?"

"I…I…"

"Well?"

"I heard you say it in…your sleep."

"You're lying." Accused Tedros.

"I…"

"Who _are you_?" hissed Tedros.

"I know your mother! She told me!" blurted Tempest.

Tedros froze stock still. _I know your mother._

"Where is she?" his voice sounded hollow to him.

"I don't know. I…I saw her a long time ago. We're still in correspondence. But I don't know where she is."

Demon-Tattoo and the albino girl glanced at each other, then started whispering to each other.

Tempest shot them a look and they shut up.

"Happy now, little prince?" she snapped, her hard and cold demeanour reappearing. "I'm going, I need to send this to your father. I'll send someone to check on your wound and bring you food later. Remember, though, you're still a prisoner, and whilst you're on this ship, you obey me."

Tempest turned back to look at him, her hat shadowing her eyes, a grin spreading across her lips.

Tedros' heart skipped a beat.

" _Is that ok, Ted? You can be the Prince?"_

 _Agatha turned, her eyes shadowed by her hair,_ _a grin spreading across her face._

 _Tedros nodded, laughing._

"Got it?"

Tedros nodded mutely. But inside he was terrified.

Who was Tempest?

How did she know his old nickname? Thinking about it, he didn't believe the "I know your mother" excuse. She hesitated far too long for it to be the truth, but she was a convincing liar if she was lying.

How did she know Camelot had no guns?

And, most scarily, why, when she smiled, when she spoke, when she did _anything_ , did she look like Agatha?

Because Agatha was _missing._

 _Agatha was dead._


	3. Memories

**Chapter 3:**

 **Sophie POV:**

Sophie paced back to the window for the fourth time in two minutes. Where was Tedros? The ship was back, but it looked like it had sustained some serious damage, no herald had arrived, and none of the sailors or Tedros had reported to the King…

Behind her, Arthur chuckled and shifted his position on his throne, slitting open a letter.

"I understand you're worried about your fiancé, Sophie."

Sophie bit back a grimace at the word. She knew Tedros didn't want to marry her, and to be perfectly honest, she didn't want to marry him either… But she knew for a fact Tedros had been harbouring secret feelings for her sister, Agatha-before she was kidnapped. But Sophie banished thoughts of her missing sister, and turned to Arthur.

"Yes, sire." She replied, keeping her face neutral.

"Oh, he'll be fi-"

Arthur stopped, staring at the letter in his palm.

"My lord?" Sophie asked tentatively, knowing that the slightest thing could set Arthur off on one of his infamous rages.

Arthur's face slowly coloured to red.

"THAT BITCH!" He howled, leaping to his feet. "SHE WOULD DARE DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT?!"

"My lord, what's the problem?" asked Merlin from the back, edging towards the side door, behind all the advisors who had already left as soon as the King's face flushed.

"MY SON HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED BY THIS BACKSTABBING, SARDONIC FINK!" screamed Arthur, spit flying.

"Kidnapped?!" cried Sophie. Maybe she didn't want to marry Tedros, but he was her _friend!_ And he'd been kidnapped by some woman?

"Yes! Read this!"

Arthur thrust the letter towards her, and she carefully stepped forwards to take it, desperate not to aggravate him further. She read it out loud for the benefit of Merlin and the curious guards at the door.

" _King Arthur of Camelot,_

 _I have your son, Prince Tedros, held at ransom upon my ship, The Damned Lady, and will not return him to you until you deliver me payment that we both see fit. I shall come to negotiate these terms and to return your son to you on the 12_ _th_ _of July. Do not try to ambush or attack me. I am merely making my living. I will return Tedros, alive and uninjured,_ _if_ _you hold you your part of the promise. I'll say it again- do not try to ambush or attack me or my crew._

 _Because I know for a fact Camelot has no guns._

 _I await our negotiation,_

 _Tempest, Captain of The Damned Lady."_

Sophie stared at the letter, eyes wide. A pirate. Tedros had been kidnapped, by, of all people, a _pirate._

" _Sophie, Agatha!"_

 _Tedros ran up to her and her sister, panting._

" _There's ships coming through Rocker's Bay! They look like they mean business."_

" _Rocker's Bay? That's restricted for official business." frowned Agatha._

" _Unless…" She added, forehead furrowing…_

 _The trio all paled in synchronisation._

" _It's not official." Said Tedros, eyes widening._

 _Sophie's stomach plunged to her feet. There could only be one type of person that was coming through Rocker's Bay._

" _Pirates." Whispered Agatha, completing her thought._

" _Go!" screamed Tedros, cries reaching their ears as the noise of combat echoed from the bay's steps and the houses nearby it. "Go!"_

 _The three bolted like hares towards the distant spires of the palace._

 _They ran for their lives, Sophie lagging behind slightly. Their lungs were aching, their arms and legs scraped from crashing into buildings, signs and each other…_

" _Nearly…there…" panted Tedros, the gates looming into view at the top of the hill._

" _Look Leonora, kids!"_

 _The three whirled._

 _Two women stood on top of a roof nearby. A woman with tanned skin, short brown hair and luminous eyes, and a woman with a long braid of dark hair and violet eyes, who'd just been called Leonora, her face lit with a cruel and malicious light. The first thought Sophie had was she was going to die at 14 years old._

" _Well, this will be fun." Grinned Leonora._

 _They both leaped down-_

 _Tedros grabbed Sophie and swung her over his shoulder, ignoring her shrieks, and grabbed Agatha's wrist._

" _Come on!" he cried, and they resumed their frenzied sprint._

 _Tedros and Agatha scampered side by side, as Sophie watched the two women draw nearer, nearer…_

 _The tanned one drew something from a pouch at her belt, a metal device, with a trigger-_

" _They've got pistols!" Sophie screamed as the first shot lashed through the air, whistling past her ear and grazing Tedros' arm._

 _Tedros came out with an interesting repertoire of cuss words and doubled his speed, Agatha doing likewise._

 _The next shot Sophie would never forget._

 _The crack spilt the sound of their terrified breaths and pounding feet. The ball of lead spun through the air, travelling so fast it was hard to track-_

 _And embedded itself in Agatha's shoulder._

 _A spray of crimson, a sickening snap, and Agatha stumbled, falling to her knees._

" _Agatha!" Sophie cried, and Tedros spun, eyes wide with panic._

 _Agatha looked up at them and scowled, hand pressed to the rapidly spreading blood on her shoulder._

" _GO, YOU IDIOTS! RUN! THEY'LL TAKE ME-"_

 _She was wrenched to her feet, and the two women grinned._

" _This one'll do-"_

 _Agatha ripped free and roundhouse-kicked the brunette in the throat. She staggered backwards, hands to her neck, and Agatha whirled to Leonora…_

 _Who shot her again, in the left knee._

 _Agatha's leg buckled, but she lashed out her hand, catching the violet eyed pirate a glancing blow on the cheek-_

 _She was shot a third and fourth time, in the arm and hip. She collapsed, unconscious._

 _Tedros cried out and Sophie screamed, but they both seemed rooted to the spot in horror._

 _The brunette strode towards Agatha, wheezing and scowling, and slung her over her shoulder, then turned and sprinted off, the other woman following. The two pirate's laughter was still ringing in Sophie's ears when she and Tedros were found half an hour later._

"Sophie, my dear? Are you alright?"

Merlin was stood over her, frowning worriedly.

"You look very pale-"

Sophie fainted, the room plunging to black.


	4. Callis and Leonora

**Chapter 4:**

 **Kiko POV:**

"Kiko, will you fetch this off to the prisoner please, love?"

"S-sure."

Kiko nervously scooped the tray from the ship's cook, Dot, and scrambled down to where Tedros was being kept. This prisoner was certainly different. He was making Tempest act oddly. Tempest, who Kiko saw as the sister she'd never had, Tempest who rescued her from a fire in her village, Tempest who gave Kiko the life of adventure she always wished for, away from her cruel older brother and stepmother. But Tempest was strangely distracted at the moment. She would act as normal, but continuously trail off in the middle of sentences and start to zone out in conversations. No one else seemed to notice, but Kiko did.

So Kiko wanted to see what was so different about the Prince of Camelot.

She pulled the bolts from the door, balancing the tray on one hand.

"Uh, Tedros? I brought food…" she called, pushing the door open.

The guy on the floor looked up. He had thick gold hair, tan skin, and eyes like some of the seas Kiko had seen- clear blue and still, perfectly reflecting the sky. His left leg was bound in cloth, along with his shoulder.

" _What did you do to him?" she cried, running up to them as they reboarded the ship, dragging a hooded boy with them._

" _I shot him." Said Tempest, like it was obvious._

" _Why?"_

" _Because." Answered the captain, shoving him at Hester and Anadil._

" _Go put him in a secure room somewhere. Not like he's going anywhere for a while, but no risks."_

" _Yes ma'am."_

 _The two sisters dragged the boy off, leaving Kiko and Agatha alone._

"Uh, thanks." The boy took the tray from her and Kiko perched on the chest of drawers, watching him eat.

"Tempest is acting weird. Do you know why?"

Tedros shrugged, glancing up from his bowl of soup.

"How should I know if it's weird or not? I don't know her."

"Oh." Said Kiko, disappointed that he seemed indifferent. "She seems to be distracted. A lot."

"Distracted, huh?" Tedros rubbed his chin, thinking. "Well, I don't know. She kidnaps a lot of guys, right?"

Kiko tipped her head, wondering where this question could have come from.

"I suppose we do sometimes, but we really tend to steal gold, loot ships, and intimidate people -boy does Tempest do a good job of that- rather than kidnap."

Tedros frowned, setting down his bowl.

"Really?" he asked in disbelief. Kiko immediately knew where the rumours of them he knew had come from. Of course, he was the Prince _of Camelot_ for Gods sake!

"Oh, you got that from the Camelot legend about us!" she laughed. "No, the men who we do kidnap tend to exaggerate the story. A lot. If there's women we usually recruit them, true, but it's not like we don't want to recruit men, they're just scared of us because of that rumour. However, the previous captain of this ship did a lot of kidnapping from villages. Occasionally we go to villages in trouble and recruit some people, like me, but not really-"

"Who was the previous captain?" cut in Tedros, interest peaked.

"Oh…I wasn't here but it was Callis, Tempest's adoptive mother."

"Adoptive?"

Kiko frowned. The others were right, Tedros asked a lot of questions.

"Yeah, Tempest was kidnapped from a village. She was going to be given to the slave trade- horrible thing Callis used to do- but Callis and her first mate, Leonora were so impressed by her fighting skills and feisty attitude that they took her in and trained her. Eventually Tempest convinced them to give up the slave trade and kidnap thing, and to revert to what we do today. Callis would have said no, but she'd grown overly fond of her adoptive daughter, and couldn't say no to her- and there was also the fact that Tempest was much more proficient with a gun than any of the other sailors."

Tedros was leaning on the wall now, looking engrossed.

"What happened to Callis?"

"She got killed in a raid on Leonora's son, Aric's ship. He left at thirteen because he hated his mother. Leonora wanted revenge. Most of the elder pirates were killed on that raid, including Callis and Leonora, who Aric killed personally. Tempest was so angry she took up a gun and shot Aric in the head, killing him instantly. No one has ever seen her like that, capturing all of Aric's sailors on her own… She took the survivors of Aric's ship and dumped them in Gillikin, buried the dead at sea, and appointed herself Captain. No one questioned it. She was by far the best. Of the ones who were there that day, only six and Tempest survived. Clarissa Dovey, Leonora's best friend, Hester, Anadil and Dot of Ravenswood, the sisters Tempest rescued, Beatrix of Jaunt Jolie, sweet, lovely Beatrix who killed a man by shoving his own sword down his throat-" Kiko saw Tedros shudder, and carried on, wincing herself at the idea. "Emma Anemone, Clarissa's cousin, and Reena of Pasha Dunes, the new girl who knocked a guy out she punched him so hard."

Tedros gaped at her in silent shock. Kiko could practically see his thought process. Seven survived. _Seven._

"What happened after that?" he croaked, shock reflecting in his crystal clear eyes.

Kiko shrugged, spreading her hands and hopping off the chest of drawers she'd been perched on.

"Tempest recruited more girls, we grew, and we became what we are now. That's it."

Tedros was silent for a long time. Finally he spoke.

"How old was Tempest when she was kidnapped, and then when Callis was killed?"

Kiko sighed. She had hoped Tedros wouldn't ask that.

"She was kidnapped when she was 14."

"And when Callis died?"

Kiko swallowed.

"She was 16. Tempest lost the only figure she had for a mother, killed a man, saw her friends die and took control of a ship two years ago."


	5. Don't Say I Didn't Warn You

**Chapter 5:**

 **Tedros POV:**

"ATTACK!"

"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"

"THAT'S CAMELOT'S FLAG!"

"CAPTAIN TEMPEST, WHAT DO WE DO?!"

Tedros jolted awake to the thunder of feet and panicked yells. It could have only been three in the morning, but it sounded like the whole ship was awake.

"ARTHUR MUST HAVE SENT HIS WHOLE BLOODY NAVY!"

"CALM DOWN!" roared Tempest's voice, and everyone fell silent. Tedros heard the clatter of boots, the door to his room crashed open, and Tempest stormed in, wearing only a shirt, breeches and boots. She gripped pistols in both hands.

"You. Here. Now." She snapped, eyes on fire.

"I can't _walk_!" barked Tedros.

Tempest groaned, shoved the pistols in her belt, grabbed his arm, and dragged pulled him up.

"Put your arm around my shoulder, and put your weight on the leg you can use, and me."

With her help, Tedros limped up to the deck, where the rest of the crew stood impatiently, a sleepy assemble of the interesting pyjamas and weapons combo. Tempest began firing off commands.

"Right, everyone go get properly dressed, get armed, and get back here. We've got 15 minutes at the most until they get close enough to fire."

The sailors scrambled off, and Tedros glanced at Tempest-and did a double take.

She was following the others down to their rooms.

He was standing on his own.

Tempest turned to look at him over her shoulder, smirking.

"I may be a pirate, Prince, but I have healer's hands."

She followed the others, leaving Tedros on the deck, dumbfounded.

They returned, armed and scowling about five minutes later.

Tempest had been there before anyone else, up on the rigging, scouting out the fleet which were approaching. Tedros could only assume that his father had been angered by the captain's demands, ad sent a fleet to look for them.

On the sole purpose of killing all the pirates.

Tedros was unsure how he felt about that. They'd kidnapped him, shot him and hurt his friends, but they'd very civil to him, and he was slowly realising that they had all once been in the same position as him, but in a different mind-set. Kiko had mentioned being "rescued" from her village. But Tempest was "kidnapped" from hers. Same thing, different thoughts.

Really, he didn't want them to die. But he didn't want to go home, but he did, he didn't want to be king-

"Alright girls, I've got a plan!"

Tempest slid down from the rigging, wearing an extremely impish smirk.

"How do you feel about capturing some ships?"

 **Arthur POV:**

Arthur scowled, pacing along the balcony. His fleet would return soon, with his son and the dead body of that backstabbing, evil little fink and her crew of bitches.

"My lord, perhaps you should come inside. It's cold-"

"No. Thank you Sophie, but no."

"As you wish, my lord."

Arthur studied the young woman in the doorway from the corner of his eye. He knew the people would love her as a Queen. She was beautiful, kind and would do all the things a queen should. But Arthur knew full well that she had no desire to be Queen. She didn't want to marry Tedros. He saw the attraction between her and her bodyguard, Hort. He knew if Tedros and Sophie didn't marry soon, Sophie would find a way out of it. Fleeing, faked death, hired kidnappers…

Or Tedros would do something similar.

Because Tedros was still in love with the dead girl. What was her name?

Ah, yes. Agatha. "Soul of Good" - Sophie's sister. That was it. He had never liked the boisterous, sarcastic attitude of the girl with such hidden beauty that she had. Merlin had always been fond of her, but Arthur was almost glad she was out of the way, kidnapped by pirates. Callis, Captain of the Damned Lady-

 _Captain of the Damned Lady._

It could be a coincidence, but Arthur didn't believe in fate. Kidnapped by the Pirates of the very ship he was trying to rescue his son from. Now it had a new captain, one under a name which couldn't possibly be her real one, the one who took such an interest in his son…

Like he said, Arthur didn't believe in fate.

Before he could speak, he saw a sail emerging from the low fog which blanketed the sea. Several sails. His fleet was back.

Arthur strode off, Sophie and Merlin following as he headed to the front of the palace to have the body of Tempest laid at his feet.

He reached the docks just as the ships drew in. There was a crowd of curious villagers gathered, watching as the ships docked. Arthur strode forwards and they parted for him in a single wave.

The sailors all scrambled off the ship and dispersed into the crowd, eyes wide. Arthur was confused as to what they were doing- until a voice spoke.

"Scram. You're lucky I didn't do to you what I did to your commander."

Another ship glided up next to his fleet.

"No!" gasped Sophie.

A round, bloody item was tossed towards Arthur. Fury rising, he reached down and turned it over.

The severed head of the commander stared back at him, mouth frozen in a grotesque mid-scream.

And a woman strode off the last ship, followed by three others who all dragged one hooded figure with them.

She smirked, tugging her hat over her eyes.

"Hello, King Arthur. Let's see if we can come to some kind of agreement about a price."

Sophie made a squeaking sound, and Merlin was white-faced.

Tempest smiled, spinning a pistol in her right hand.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."


	6. He's Not Worth 90

**Chapter 6:**

 **Sophie POV:  
**

Sophie had never felt so trapped. Trying to attack Tempest wasn't an option. She would shoot them where she stood. And there was no way to outtalk the obviously shrewd pirate. They'd have to pay up.

Arthur made a sound like a lion growling.

"I'll never pay you."

Tempest shrugged. Then, fast as a viper, she lunged and wrenched the hooded figure from between the two other girls, ripped down the hood and pressed the gun to the figures head.

Sophie gasped and Merlin dropped his hat.

Tedros stared back at them calmly, eyes neutral.

"You won't shoot him." Said Arthur shortly, eyes narrowing.

Tempest grinned.

"His friend said that. But you were both wrong. I'm quite willing to put a bullet through his pretty head. I can live quite comfortably without the ransom. I'd like it though. My ship needs some repairs. So, King Arthur, name a price."

Sophie saw slight fear flicker in Tedros' eyes. Arthur snarled like a feral wolf.

"GUARDS!"

Four armed guards charged from the crowd-

 _Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang._

They all collapsed with a shared cry, clutching identically shattered kneecaps.

Tempest sighed.

"I had hoped not to do that. Waste of good soldiers. They won't be in action for some time now. I don't enjoy killing, so I make a point of maiming instead."

A vain pulsed in Arthur's forehead. But slowly, he untensed.

"Fine."

Tempest smiled like a wolf seizing up its next meal.

"Good."

Arthur sighed, looking for a second like an old man.

"Fifty thousand?"

"Higher." Demanded Tempest with a scowl.

"Sixty."

Tempest snorted derisively.

"Sixty? I've had higher from Lords and Ladies."

"Seventy five."

"Ninety." Interrupted Tempest, pressing the gun a little harder to Tedros' temple.

"He's not worth ninety." Snapped Arthur.

Tempest's eyebrows arched. Sophie saw Tedros' eyes suddenly look like a little boy's.

 _He's not worth ninety._

Ouch. That had to hurt. His father was unwilling to pay something like that for him, to save his life. Sophie knew Arthur had much, much more money than that which he could squander. He didn't think Tedros, his only son, only child, only family, was worth hardly any of that. He didn't care about his son. Sophie saw the hurt, shock and betrayal pass through Tedros' face. Then he averted his eyes and was neutral again.

But the reaction Tempest produced was most surprising.

" _Not worth ninety?"_ she snapped, eyes aflame. "You squander three hundred yearly on drink and your son isn't worth _a half of it_? You know Arthur, I had a father who didn't care about me much either. And look where I ended up. A pirate, capturing Princes and Lords for ransom. If your son runs away, thinking he's unworthy, you'll know why."

How did Tempest know so much?

"Are you threatening me?" boomed Arthur, blotching red.

"Oh no, merely warning you. You only see your son as your successor, as the next King, someone to marry off and manipulate to be just like you. If you do that, Tedros and Sophie will end up just like another ill-fated King and Queen I know."

Tempest leaned forwards, smirking.

"Never liked people talking about Guinevere, did you?"

Arthur went puce, then white, then red again.

"How do you know these things? Who are you?" croaked Sophie. Tempest spun to her, grinning.

"Oh, you must be the lovely Sophie Woods, Lord Stefan Wood's daughter."

Sophie scowled at her.

"Yes."

"You'll be fine Queen, love. In looks at least."

She spun back to Arthur.

"One hundred is my final offer."

"No."

Tempest shrugged, and her finger pressed slightly harder on the trigger.

"Okay. Three."

The trigger moved slightly.

"Two…"

Even further. Sophie knew that any further, and Tedros would be dead.

"One."

"FINE!"

Tempest pointed the gun upwards just in time. The blast broke the silence.

"Thank you. I'll have the money then be on my way."

Arthur made a move forward- but Tempest pulled Tedros behind her.

"Uh-uh. You don't trust me, so if I give you your son now you won't pay up. You pay, I give him back, but for now, he's staying on my ship. I won't harm him."

She pushed the prince back to the two girls behind her, who pulled Tedros off, back to the ship. Sophie kept waiting for him to look back.

But he didn't.


	7. Long Live The King

**Chapter 7:**

 **Tempest POV:**

Tempest glanced across the deck, frowning. Tedros had been sat on the floor for the last hour with no sign of moving.

"Just go talk to him!" boomed Hester, shoving her captain forwards. Tempest scowled.

"No! You know I'm not good with words!"

Hester shrugged.

"So?"

Before Tempest could reply, she dragged her over to Tedros, and sprinted off.

Tedros didn't even look up. Now, closer to him, Tempest could see him scowling, and it didn't take a genius to know what was bothering him.

Say something! Tempest! SAY SOMETHING!

"Still sulking, Prince?"

Oh, WOW! GREAT! SO _SENSITIVE_! YOU SHOULD BE A THERAPIST RATHER THAN A PIRATE!

Tedros was scowling at her now, rather than the floor.

"What am I supposed to do?" he snapped, cheeks flushing with anger. "I have to wait until my father delivers the gold, not that it'll be any time soon, _seeing as I'm not worth 90,_ and he won't want to give you the satisfaction of having gold, so he'll take as long as he can."

Tempest sighed mentally. Say you understand or something.

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself!" she lashed instead.

 _OH MY GOD._

Tedros glared at her. Tempest glared back. She could hear Hester laughing in the background and it really wasn't helping.

Then she had an idea.

"Well, seeing as sitting around will just make you sulk more, how about a fight?"

Tedros blinked in confusion.

"Huh?"

"I'll get your sword for you, and we'll fight. Let's see how good you really are."

The Prince frowned.

"What will you use?"

Tempest shrugged.

"My sabre."

Tedros nodded slowly.

"Fine."

"Nothing barred."

"Fine."

"First one to be disarmed loses."

"Fine."

"Stop saying fine."

Tedros looked up, and grinned at her.

"Fine."

Tempest groaned, turning to retrieve Excalibur from the hold. As she did so, she heard Hester speak- well, yell.

"PLACE YOUR BETS, GIRLS!"

Tempest shifted her weight, trying to conceal her apprehension. Tedros stood calmly with his sword held casually by his side. He looked completely at ease. Tempest, however, did not favour a sword. She favoured a gun. She could shoot the dust off your boots at twenty meters, but she was slightly above average with a sabre.

"Ready?" boomed Hester perched on the rigging, whilst Anadil and Dot handled the betting.

"Set!"

Tedros shifted his weight to his left leg. Tempest narrowed her eyes.

"Go!" Hester fired a pistol into the air.

Tedros made the first move. He lunged, sending the sword in a wide arc towards her neck. She spun and blocked it, sending the clash of their blades reverberating through the quiet evening air.

She swept her blade down his and forced it on his crosspiece, trying to force his arm down-

He swung his sword towards her legs, forcing her to jump it and spin, and block it all in one motion. God, this guy was good.

The fight sped up. Tempest was now giving it her all, drenched in sweat, but Tedros wasn't even breathing hard.

Block, turn, feint, block, turn, dodge…

Her sabre impaled itself into the mast with a dull thud.

She let her hands drop to her knees, panting. Tedros studied her, head tipped to one side like a curious puppy.

"Well…you win, Prince."

Tedros nodded, but he didn't look happy.

He slid the sword into his belt, ignoring the other girls, and pulled her sabre from the mast offering it to her.

She took it from him, astounded.

"Uh…thank you."

Tedros shrugged, but he looked distracted. Tempest frowned, tugging her hat back on.

"What's wrong now?"

Tedros sighed, and pointed.

Up on the hill, far above the ship, there loomed the royal castle. Tempest furrowed her brow, wondering what could be so bad about his home, but then she saw.

Carts of gold were making their way down the hill.

Her first thought was something along the lines of _well that'll pay for repairs nicely._ But her second thought was something she said out loud.

"Why should that bother you? You're going home."

Tedros said nothing. The slight breeze stirred his hair around his face, and he looked extremely conflicted.

"Well…I…"

He sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Look, I don't want to be King."

Tempest dropped her sabre. The other Pirates fell silent.

Tedros looked up to see everyone staring at him.

"Don't tell me I imagined he just said that." Murmured Beatrix.

"Don't…want...to…be…King?" gaped Kiko.

Tedros shuffled his feet nervously.

"No."

"Why?" asked Tempest, curiosity mounting. "You'll be a good King."

"No, I have to be King. Doesn't mean I'll be good at it."

Tempest suddenly got it.

"You're scared you'll end up like your father."

Tedros didn't even try to deny it. His shoulders slumped, and he stared at the floor.

"Yes."

Tempest snorted.

"You? Be like your father?"

Tedros scowled.

"Yes! OK, what was my father like when he was my age? He was pretty much like me, right? What changed him? My mother running off! A badly fated marriage! And, oh, guess what? I'm arranged -in a _badly fated marriage_! Who's to say I won't end up like my father?"

Tempest was silent. Then someone was stood behind her. Hester.

"Tell him." She whispered. "Tell him who you are."

Tell him.

 _Tell him._

Tempest steeled her nerves.

"What would Agatha think?" she asked quietly.

Tedros reacted like he'd just been shot.

" _What_ _did you say?!"_ he hissed, eyes ablaze.

Tempest immediately regretted it. But her stupid runaway mouth kept going.

"What would Agatha think?" she repeated.

Tedros stared at her, eyes wide.

"How-how-do you know about her?" he croaked.

Tempest swallowed.

"I-well…"

"Well?"

"Captain Tempest."

Everyone turned.

Merlin stood on the docks, the cartloads of gold behind him.

"Prince Tedros, if you please."

Tempest nodded, recalling her cold demeanour, and waved her hand.

"Off you go, Prince."

Tedros hesitantly walked over to where Merlin stood, as Tempest's sailors began to unload the gold.

"Good to have you back, my boy." Said Merlin.

Tedros nodded silently, and followed his old tutor up the hill, towards the castle.

Tempest had one last thought.

"Oh, and Tedros?" she called.

The Prince turned frowning.

Tempest pressed a finger to her forehead in salute.

"Long live the King."


	8. Agatha

**Chapter 8:**

 **Tempest POV:**

Tempest stood on the deck, watching Camelot recede in the distance. They had collected the gold and were en-route to their next destination, Maidenvale, after Arthurs heartfelt parting words of _you come back, and you get executed. I won't pursue you._ Hester had heard there was a Lord's son out sailing on his own, and wanted his ransom. Tempest had agreed, having nothing else to do. They'd go back to sailing around, kidnapping rich boys and gaining ransom. Just like they always had. But why did she feel so…empty? So odd? Odd, like she had an iron weight on her stomach, and her heart was cold as ice. Naturally, Tempest decided the best cause was to ignore it. Maybe she was tired. Maybe she was ill- no, she never got ill. Then what was it? She'd felt it before, she thought.

 _When you were kidnapped. And when you saw his ship in the distance. And when his father agreed to the ransom._

No, no! That wasn't it! She hadn't ever felt like this before! That was fear, excitement, relief! Not this, whatever this was! She was Tempest, Queen of the Seas! Feared, merciless Captain of the Damned Lady! Terror of the Endless Woods, and Woods Beyond! She didn't feel like this! She didn't! Weak, confused…she _never_ felt like this.

Did she?

"You should have told him." Said a new voice, breaking into her confused and conflicted thoughts.

Tempest turned, surprised that someone was actually approaching her after leaving her alone for two hours.

Hester stood nearby, frowning, arms folded. The tattoo on her neck seemed even redder now, and almost looked like it was twitching.

"In case you didn't notice, I tried." She snapped, regaining her composure, and turned away, facing away from her first mate.

Hester snorted derisively. "No, you asked him what Agatha would have thought. You were trying to glean a reaction from him, not tell him who you were."

Tempest scowled blackly at the crystalline sea. It reminded her of his eyes, actually- oh _shut up!_ "Who appointed you as ship's psychiatrist?"

Hester sighed, and Tempest could almost hear the girl rolling her eyes. "Look, Captain. I know you pride yourself on being strong, but don't you see?" she paused. Tempest carried on stoically ignoring her. Hester sighed again, and went on. "You kidnapped him, wanting to tell him who you were, to reveal yourself to him. It was so _obvious_ and all of us could tell you wanted to _._ But you botched it. You, for once in your _life,_ Tempest, were _scared._ _You were scared."_

Tempest stared at her, considering shooting her in the kneecap to shut her up. Or maybe the shoulder. Or both. Or running off. Or taping her mouth shut. But before she could decide, someone else spoke.

"Look, Tempest, how are you feeling right now?"

Tempest turned back to the ship.

Kiko. Sweet, lovely Kiko who could never be as blackhearted as Tempest, as cruel as Hester, as sardonic as Anadil, as fierce as Dot…but Kiko was brave in her own way. She was fearless, and believed in Tempest as a younger sister believes in her elder sister, as a child trusts in her mother, as a girl admires a woman.

Tempest's face softened slightly. She would have yelled at anyone else. Not Kiko.

"Nothing really, Kiko." And it was true. She felt empty. Like there was nothing but her cold, cruel heart, and skilful murderer's hands.

Kiko smiled faintly.

"Yes. Exactly. And we were thinking…um…how did you feel when you were with Tedros?"

Tempest groaned, rubbing her eyes. She didn't have the patience or tolerance for this.

"No, I won't answer this therapist crap. I'm _fine._ " She sniped, shoving past the two and heading towards the mast, trying to get away from the questioning duo-

"Did you feel happy?" Dot appeared nearby, wooden spoon in hand. _What-_

"Like a child, no matter how hard you tried to hide it?" asked Anadil, sliding down the rigging. _–the-_

"Like you were 14 again, with your best friends?" questioned Beatrix, glancing up from sharpening her sabre. _–hell._

Tempest froze stock still, like she was encased in ice. She felt trapped, like a deer surrounded by hunters and their dogs. The whole crew was in on it. What were they doing? What were they trying to get her to admit?

Hester joined in, delivering the fatal sentence. The one that shattered her alter-ego, the one that brought out the kidnapped girl from so long ago.

" _Did you feel like the girl stolen away from Camelot?"_

Tempest felt herself going white. They were… they were trying… they were trying to…

"Come on out, Agatha." Whispered Kiko.


	9. Abandon Ship

**Chapter 9:**

 **Hester POV:**

Ten minutes, a lot of shouting, swearing and a gunshot later, they had convinced Tempest to go back to Camelot in disguise, despite the Captain's "It's too risky" complaint, and the fact she was now subject to non-stop ribbing from the whole ship;

"Knew it."

"It was bound to happen someday."

"You'd have thought, with the amount of men we kidnap, it would have happened sooner."

"I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH HIM!" yelled Tempest. "I WANT TO TALK TO HIM!"

"Mhm."

"STOP JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS!"

But Beatrix had somehow pulled together a disguise (which Tempest had yet to put on) and they had decided to drop her off at Gavaldon, a small town on the outskirts of Camelot, and let her ride from there. What alibi she was going to use to talk to Tedros was completely in her hands.

Hester scowled, watching Tempest pace. Despite it looking for a minute like she might refer back to Agatha, Tempest had stayed Tempest.

But, convincing her to go back to Camelot was a start.

She rolled her eyes, flopping onto the deck, when there was a yell.

"HESTER! TEMPEST! There's ships after us!"

Hester bolted back to her feet, cursing. "NOT AGAIN!"

"WHO IS IT THIS TIME?" roared Tempest, kicking the mast as she was snapped form her stupor.

Kiko, who always had the best eyesight, scrambled up the rigging, peering over the calm sea.

"Uh, Tempest…?" she squeaked.

"What?" snapped the Captain agitatedly, her pacing becoming more urgent.

"Arthur…" managed Kiko, leaping down.

"What about him?" snarled Tempest, her patience visibly thinning.

"He broke his promise." Said Beatrix stiffly.

Heart plunging, Hester turned.

Part of Camelot's navy sailed towards them. Around ten ships.

"THAT-"

Dot covered Kiko's ears as Tempest launched into a tirade consisting mostly of cuss words, finishing with;

"WE AREN'T EVEN _SAILING! We can't bloody outrun them!"_

Chaos erupted on board, with girls cussing and grabbing weapons, raising the anchor and-

BOOM.

A cannonball was launched from the leading ship. Beatrix screamed.

It missed by inches, crashing near the prow and sending a plume of water into the air, showering the pirates.

Everyone suddenly went quiet, and turned to look at Tempest.

"What do we do?" asked Anadil quietly.

Tempest stayed silent.

"Tempest?" squeaked Kiko. It was easy to forget the girl was only 15. But Hester could see the fear in her eyes.

Tempest clenched her teeth, watching the ships draw closer.

"I-"

 _CRACK._

Whilst they'd been talking, all of the ships had fired at once.

The deck splintered, the mast creaked and swayed, and the ship listed dangerously to one side-

Tempest grabbed Kiko, and wrenched her out of the way, while Hester dove to one side, tackling Anadil-

Water rushed through a gaping hole in the deck.

Tempest went white.

"EVERYONE OVER HERE!"

The pirates scrambled over to their Captain, identical panic reflecting in all of their eyes.

"I think we have to abandon ship." Mumbled Tempest, saltwater lapping around her boots.

"We can't go anywhere!" yelled Beatrix.

"I know." Croaked the pirate.

"LOOK, WE'LL DROWN EITHER WAY!" snarled Hester, getting tired of discussion. "DO YOU WANT TO TRY YOUR LUCK SWIMMING TO SHORE, OR GETTING CRUSHED BY A CANNONBALL-"

 _Boom._

Hester didn't even know what happened. One moment they were standing on the flooding deck. Then something hit the deck, and the next moment she was falling from the side, plunging towards the water-

She smashed into the waves, water filling her lungs and chilling her limbs, numbing her and rendering her useless-

Someone slammed into the water next to her, and suddenly Hester found herself above the surface, coughing up water, Tempest wheezing next to her. Her captain had pulled her up. On Tempest's left, Kiko trod water, clinging onto the other girl's shoulder.

Heat seared Hester's back. She turned in horror, to see an explosion erupt from their ship, wood charring and splintering, shooting in all directions, rope lashing out, hull collapsing, and cargo plunging into the water. Hester felt splinters pepper her cheeks, and heard Tempest yelp as a plank glanced off her face, leaving her with a deep wound on her cheekbone. Kiko suddenly splashed over to a large section of wood, still nailed together, and clung to it, using it to keep her afloat.

Tempest seemed to get the same idea, and Hester could see her trying to ignore the wound on her face-

 _Bang._

A tiny projectile whistled past Hester's neck, and she whirled to Tempest.

"They're shooting at us!" Kiko cried, eyes wide with fear. "Tempest, where's everyone else?"

Tempest pointed, clinging to some shattered debris, showing the splinters embedded in her palms. Nearby, some of the others floundered, holding onto each other and pieces of wood, trying to stay afloat.

 _Bang. Bang. Bang._

More bullets whistled past, distracting Hester from her chattering teeth and loss of feeling in her feet-

Tempest cried out. Hester saw a splatter of blood, and a bullet lodged itself in her back-

 _Bang._

A searing flash of pain in her shoulder.

And everything went black.


	10. The Missing Girls

**Chapter 10:**

 **Tedros POV:**

"Teddy, this is going to ruin my nails."

Tedros sighed, flipping through another book. This idea was stupid. But once Sophie had found out Tempest knew a lot about Camelot, she immediately took to the library to find out if she had any connections.

"Have you found anything?"

Sophie suddenly stopped turning pages.

"Sophie?"

Silence.

"Soph?"

"Y-Yes."

Tedros poked his head around the shelf.

"Huh?"

"This is a record on kidnapped children. It's in my dad's handwriting. But it's not just Camelot. It's all the kids who were kidnapped around the same time as Agatha."

Tedros frowned.

"Why would he do that?"

"I don't know. But it's weird. All of these names are girls."

Tedros froze.

"Tell me some." His voice was hoarse. Not his.

"Kiko of Neverland. Hester, Dot and Anadil of Ravenswood. Beatrix of Jaunt Jolie. Reena of Pasha Dunes."

That was enough. Tedros dropped his book and sank to his knees.

"Sophie."

"Y-yeah?"

"The woman who kidnapped Agatha…did we ever find out her name?"

"Yes, Callis. Why?"

 _"Yeah, Tempest was kidnapped from a village. She was going to be given to the slave trade- horrible thing Callis used to do- but Callis and her first mate, Leonora were so impressed by her fighting skills and feisty attitude that they took her in and trained her. Eventually Tempest convinced them to give up the slave trade and kidnap thing, and to revert to what we do today. Callis would have said no, but she'd grown overly fond of her adoptive daughter, and couldn't say no to her- and there was also the fact that Tempest was much more proficient with a gun than any of the other sailors."_

" _I'M A_ _PIRATE_ _, TEDROS PENDRAGON, AND I WILL BE UNTIL THE DAY I DIE."_

 _Tempest turned back to look at him, her hat shadowing her eyes, a grin spreading across her lips._

 _Tedros' heart skipped a beat._

 _ **"**_ _ **Is that ok, Ted? You can be the Prince?"**_

 _ **Agatha turned, her eyes shadowed by her hair,**_ __ _ **a grin spreading across her face.**_

 _ **Tedros nodded, laughing.**_

 _Why, when she smiled, when she spoke, when she did anything, did she look like Agatha?_

 _Not worth ninety?" she snapped, eyes aflame. "You squander three hundred yearly on drink and your son isn't worth a half of it? You know Arthur, I had a father who didn't care about me much either. And look where I ended up. A pirate, capturing Princes and Lords for ransom. If your son runs away, thinking he's unworthy, you'll know why."_

 _"What would Agatha think?"_

Tedros couldn't breathe. It wasn't possible.

But it was.

He could have cried then and there, from a mixture of regret and relief. Agatha was alive. Under the guise of Tempest, she was _alive._ But she was gone. He'd never see her again.

"Tedros?"

"Sophie, she's alive."

"What?"

"Agatha's _alive._ "

Sophie went a shade of pale akin to a ghost.

"How do you know?" she croaked.

"She's Tempest. Sophie, she's _Tempest."_

Sophie shook her head. "No. No, she can't be."

"No, listen. Kiko told me this _: Yeah, Tempest was kidnapped from a village. She was going to be given to the slave trade- horrible thing Callis used to do- but Callis and her first mate, Leonora were so impressed by her fighting skills and feisty attitude that they took her in and trained her. Eventually Tempest convinced them to give up the slave trade and kidnap thing, and to revert to what we do today. Callis would have said no, but she'd grown overly fond of her adoptive daughter, and couldn't say no to her- and there was also the fact that Tempest was much more proficient with a gun than any of the other sailors._ Tempest knew far too much for it to be coincidental. She looks like Agatha, talks like Agatha and acts like Agatha. Your sisters alive."

Sophie was silent for a very long time. Eventually, she only said one thing.

"She said father didn't care about her."

Tedros blinked.

"Did he?"

Sophie nodded, tears welling.

"He did, of course he did!" she held up the book. "This is proof! He knew! He wanted to find her!"

Tedros recalled that Stefan had been killed in battle with some pirates a few years ago. They had been from a ship… but not the Damned Lady.

"That's why he fought so many pirates. He was looking for Agatha, and he died never knowing she was in control of one of those ships!" Sophie was bordering on hysterical. "Oh, Tedros, what if he fought her?"

Tedros shook his head.

"No, he didn't. She would have mentioned killing him. Tempest likes to gloat. Agatha _is_ Tempest, but I somehow think they're separate people. Kid of an alter-ego, but she constantly let it drop accidentally."

"But she said he didn't care."

"She didn't know, obviously."

Sophie nodded, sighing.

"Even if you're right, she's gone-"

 _BOOM._

The window panes shattered. An orange fireball exploded over the sea in the distance.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF-" shrieked Sophie.

Tedros saw his father's ships a second after he realised what the ship was.

He felt his stomach plunge, his heart freezing to ice.

"Sophie…"

"What?" asked Sophie distractedly, peering out of the window.

"My father broke his promise."

Sophie turned, confused.

"Huh?"

Tedros swallowed.

"He fired on The Damned Lady. He just tried, or actually managed to kill your sister."


	11. The Weasel's Help

**Chapter 11:**

 **Tedros POV:**

Tedros saw the blood disappear from Sophie's face as she realised. Then slowly, she curled her hands into fists. _Oh, great…_

"THAT ASSHOLE!" she screamed. "I'LL KILL _HIM_ -"

She lunged for the library door, and Tedros caught her around the waist, dragging her backwards, away from running off and attempting to commit treason.

"Look, Sophie, listen! No-"

Sophie broke free and bolted for the door again, meaning Tedros had to grab her and throw her over his shoulder, ignoring her screeching and punches (seriously, that _hurt_ ) and trying to push down the similarities between this and the last time they thought Agatha was dead.

"SOPHIE, LISTEN TO ME!" He barked, trying to shut her up. "LISTEN! SHE MIGHT NOT BE DEAD. AGATHA MIGHT NOT BE DEAD"

Sophie stopped wriggling and screaming, and turned to look at him.

"Huh?"

"They're not stupid. My father's fleet is obvious. They'll probably have abandoned ship."

 _Probably._

"THEY'LL DROWN, TEDDY!" shrieked his fiancée, regaining her panic.

Tedros sighed, running his free hand through his hair in irritation. God, she never listened! "Sophie, seeing as they spend most of their lives on a boat, they can probably swim. But…"

Tedros trailed off as the thought struck him. So obvious he couldn't believe he hadn't thought about it before.

"What?" demanded Sophie, struggling to get down, glass heels hitting his spine.

"Sophie…why did my father go after The Damned Lady?"

Sophie went still, and silent.

"He wanted to kill her." She croaked, eyes scarily blank.

"Yes." Said Tedros quietly. "But…why? He could have done it when she was here."

"No, he had to ambush rather than go full out." Said Sophie, eyes narrowing.

Tedros snorted. "Isn't blowing up the ship going full-out?"

Sophie shrugged. "Maybe, I think…he knows who she is."

"What?" Tedros dropped Sophie, ignoring her yelp. "How?"

Agatha's sister rolled her eyes, clambering back to her feet and sending Tedros a dirty look.

"It's obvious." She sighed, looking for all the world she was fed up with his ignorance. Tedros glared at her, but she ignored him, continuing. "He knew who Callis was, and what ship she commanded. He found out what ship Tempest/Agatha commanded from the demands she sent him, put two and two together, and wholeheartedly didn't believe in coincidence."

"Oh." Tedros studied her, starting to grin. "You're smarter than you look."

Sophie's scowl deepened, and she stamped on his foot, again ignoring his yelp. Heels hurt.

"Shut up. We ought to go and see what's happening."

The two hurried over to the door, flung it open-

Tedros groaned mentally. Not the weasel _. Anyone but_.

Sophie blinked.

"What are you doing here, Hort?"

"You can't leave." Snapped Hort, leaning on the wall next to the door, spear in hand.

Sophie folded her arms, eyes narrowing.

"Why?" she demanded.

"It's not safe." Replied the guard. "His majesty, the King requested you stay here. You too, my lord."

The title was delivered with a derisive sneer, albeit subtle. Tedros knew it. Everyone knew it. It was common knowledge that Hort hated him, for one simple reason- jealousy. Hort was in love with Sophie. Tedros was engaged to Sophie. Simple, but unsolvable as far as Tedros' father was concerned.

"So, please go back in, or I'll have to make you." Finished Hort.

"Not safe, my foot. What, are the pirates going to come and kill us all?" snapped Tedros, losing patience suddenly.

Hort looked like he was trying not to punch him. His free hand twitched, then balled into a fist, then relaxed again. Tedros practically read his thoughts; _don't punch the Prince._

"I'm on your side, idiot!" he lashed from between clenched teeth. "I worked out who Tempest is, and I want to help, but I don't want to be convicted of treason. So shut your pretty mouth, and go back in the library!"

Tedros glanced at Sophie, who seemed to be on the same thought process as him.

"What? Just because I want enough money to get my father a decent grave doesn't mean you can blame me for anything."

Tedros suddenly felt bad about what he was thinking of doing to the guard. Especially given his history. But he needed to do it.

"Hort…" Said Sophie sweetly.

"Yeah?" Hort turned to her, softening slightly. Tedros slowly and quietly drew his sword-

 _Wham._

Tedros slammed the hilt of Excalibur into the back of the guard's head. Hort groaned, and collapsed like a tree felling.

"Sorry." Mumbled Sophie. Tedros bit his lip, but, together, the two grabbed him under his arms and dragged him back into the library. They had some things to convince Hort to help them with.

 **Hort POV:  
**

Hort woke up five minutes later, dressed in only his tunic and boots, his spear out of reach, his hands tied and his mouth gagged. The back of his head throbbed, and he felt like he'd been trampled by a hundred horses. What happened?

"MMF!" he tried to yell, but the gag was too tight.

"Sorry, Hort, but it had to be done. You need to help us."

Tedros sat on a shelf next to him, arms folded. Sophie stood nearby.

"Mmf!" he complained, feeling betrayed.

"Sorry." Repeated Sophie. "But you have to promise not to yell."

Hort nodded eagerly.

Tedros approached and pulled the gag from his mouth.

"Now, Hort, tell us. Can someone survive a fall from a ship, into the sea, and manage to get to land without drowning?"


	12. A Mother's Return

**Chapter 12:**

 **Hort POV:**

"This is a horrible idea." Groused Hort.

"Shut up, and knock him out." Hissed Sophie, prodding him in the back.

Hort groaned quietly, but lifted the butt of his spear, and crept towards the guard.

"Hey." He said. The guard turned, annoyed.

"What-"

 _Crack._

Hort knocked him out with one swift blow to the face.

He crashed to the ground, nose bleeding, leaving Hort to rip off his armour and helmet, leave him only in his tunic, tie him deftly up, and drag him over to Sophie, who deposited him unceremoniously in an empty room.

He heard another impact from the end of the hall, and knew Tedros had done the same as him.

Once both guards had been secured and gagged in the room, Tedros and Sophie changed into the guard's armour. Hopefully no-one would notice them, but this plan had as many holes as a sieve. For starters, they didn't even know if Tempest was _alive,_ let alone captive in the castle. Second, if she was, they didn't know where. Third, Sophie couldn't walk very well in armour, and was a lot shorter than the other two. ("Conspicuous." Snapped Tedros sarcastically, seeming to be in a permanently bad mood.)

Yeah, this would work.

 _Not._

Hort watched as Tedros peered over the balcony into the entrance hall, frowning.

"I think…"

He didn't finish his sentence before there was a crash, and several guards strode through the doors, dragging a limp, pale, soaking, figure with a steadily spreading pool of blood on her back, it pooling on her spine and dripping a combination of blood and water on the flagstones, her dark hair veiling her face- wait.

That was Tempest.

Hort watched the blood leave both Sophie and Tedros' faces as they watched their sister and long-time crush (hell, it was way too obvious) get dragged along, looking way too limp to be conscious- or even alive.

More girls were dragged in behind her, and Hort recognised more pirates from Tedros' descriptions- from petite Kiko to tattooed Hester, the Kings navy had captured them all.

Tedros and Sophie were both interesting shades of white and grey, and Hort swore he heard one of Tedros' back teeth crack, he was clenching his jaw so hard.

The guards kicked open the door leading down to the cells, and pulled the unconscious (supposedly) girls down the steps, and out of sight.

The trio were silent for a long time. Then Tedros straightened up, and strode over to the nearby tapestry.

"What the-" began Sophie. Her question was answered before she finished asking it.

Hort watched in shock as Tedros ripped the tapestry to one side, revealing a hidden door. He opened it, and spoke without turning around.

"You didn't think there was only one way into the dungeons, did you?"

He headed down into the dark corridor, and with a shared shrug, Hort and Sophie followed him, shutting the door behind them, and drawing back the tapestry to its original position.

None of them saw the bright blue eyes watching them from the end of the corridor.

* * *

Tedros, Sophie and Hort clanked through the musty hall, squinting to see in the dim light emanating from the end of the hall.

Suddenly, Tedros stopped, causing an array of curses and crashes as Sophie slammed into him and Hort fell over.

"What?" hissed Sophie as Hort scrabbled back to his feet, cursing. "What is it?"

"Look." Muttered the prince, and pointed through the open door the end of the hall. They could hear voices, and as they crept/clanked closer, they could see what was going on.

They were stood on a viewing platform above the cells (why there was one, Hort wasn't sure), but King Arthur stood in front of one of the cells, studying the occupant. His back was to them, but what he was saying was crystal clear;

"Now, tell me. Why did you fire on my navy?"

The cell's occupant let loose a croaky laugh. "Out with it, Arthur. There's no one here to accuse you of anything, bar me and my crewmates. Why did _you_ fire on _my_ ship?"

Tempest was awake, covered in blood, and had a malicious look in her eye which suggested she knew she and Arthur were on equal ground.

Arthur spread his hands.

"You're a smart girl. I thought you'd say that. Anyway, you know, don't you, Agatha?"

Tempest inclined her head. Hort still found it weird to think of her as the clever, sarcastic girl who he'd seen around the castle in their childhood, so he preferred to think of her as Tempest.

"I am a threat to the arranged marriage between Tedros and Sophie. You need me out of the way. You also generally dislike me, hate me for kidnapping your son, and whilst I'm at it, and it doesn't matter now, seeing as all the gold is at the bottom of the sea, I will admit I shot your son in the knee and shoulder."

"You lied!" spluttered Arthur, seeming taken aback by her rapid fire accusations.

"No, I merely withheld some truth from you. You never asked, therefore I never told you."

Arthur scowled, but said nothing other than one word;

"Why?"

"What? Why did I shoot him, or why did I kidnap him in the first place?"

"Both."

"None of your business."

Arthur grinned wolfishly.

"You still love him, don't you?"

Tempest remained silent.

"You aren't denying it."

Still the captain was silent.

"Well?"

"Yes. Yes I do."

Arthur's face slowly turned triumphant.

"Not that it matters." He assured her, a nasty smile spreading across the width of his face. Because you'll be executed at dawn tomorrow."

* * *

"Like hell she will be." Snarled Tedros suddenly, starting forwards-

Someone darted out of the corridor behind them, and grabbed his arms.

"No, Tedros!" they hissed. "Listen! Listen!"

Tedros froze. Arthur began to laugh below them, oblivious to who was stood in a concealed doorway above him.

"I've got a plan." Said the figure. The one all three recognised, the one who Tedros cursed for days, the one who Arthur had put a death warrant out for.

Guinevere.


	13. Guinevere's Tale

**Chapter 13:**

 **Hort POV:  
**

"So I came here." Finished Guinevere, folding her hands in her lap. Hort glanced around at the other two to see if they were as amazed by her story as he was.

* * *

 _I left Camelot with Lancelot, around two years ago, as you know. I didn't know where we were going, and neither did he. So we just rode. We got really lost, avoiding search parties, stealing food and often sleeping by the side of roads. We found shelter eventually, but it was in the most unlikely circumstances._

 _We stumbled across a Neverland town which had been devastated by a fire. We were just passing through, but we heard a little girl screaming. Lance went to look, and we saw a child being dragged away by a man. He was screaming abuse at her, and she was crying- he said something about slave traders, but then- oh, it was terrifying._

 _He was shot through the side. The bullet tore through his heart, blood was everywhere. The little girl, poor thing, was white faced and trembling, trying to get away._

 _Then women tore through the ruins, and at the same time a group of men barrelled out of the charred trees._

 _There was this huge fight, and all of the men were massacred. None of them survived. The women went over to the little girl. I started forwards, not wanting them to hurt her, but they were kind to her. They asked her name, and the one who was obviously the leader picked her up and comforted her. She said her name was Kiko, and she had run away from her brother and mother, who had been cruel to her, but her brother had sent the slave traders after her._

 _At this point I was more interested in the women. They were pirates, I realised, from their weapons and way of dressing, and I could see a ship moored in the distance. They were little more than girls, I could see now, and the leader could only have been 16._

 _The woman in the lead asked her if she wanted to come with them. They would train her to look after herself, and she would have a new family._

 _The girl- Kiko- shyly asked if they were pirates. The girl holding her said they were, but they were good pirates. They didn't like killing people, but sometimes they had to. They just held rich people on their ship for a bit, to get money. They don't hurt them. This seemed to convince Kiko, and she agreed to go with them._

 _We were about to leave, when the girl in the lead turned around, still holding Kiko, and looked straight at me._

" _Hello, Lancelot, Guinevere." She said. "It's been a while."_

 _I froze. Lancelot's hand went to his sword. Had she known we were there the whole time? Had I met her before? I didn't recognise her._

 _She smiled and walked over to us, setting down Kiko, and stood in front of us. I could see Lancelot eyeing the pistols at her belt, her sabre, plus her several knives._

" _I-I do you know us?" I stammered, thinking only that she was a pirate, and there was a gold reward on our heads, and…_

" _Yes. I do."_

" _Who are you?" demanded Lancelot._

" _I'm known as Tempest." She said calmly. "But I should imagine you can call me Agatha."_

 _I had never been more shocked. I remembered the cheerful girl from Camelot. I remembered how Tedros had broken everything in his room and screamed when she was kidnapped. I remembered the quickly arranged funeral where Sophie cried so hard, and how Tedros' eyes lost their life, making their owner sullen, severe and cold. I couldn't believe the same girl who had cried over the death of her horrible cat, mended bird's wings and looked after her stepbrothers, was a cold-blooded killer. No, I couldn't think of her as Agatha._

 _I would think of her as Tempest._

" _I know what you're thinking." she said, glancing around at the darkening sky and her crew stood silently behind her. "But you two look freezing, and I'll put money on you not having eaten properly. Come on board, and we can trade stories."_

* * *

 _Once we had eaten and exchanged stories, Tempest leaned back in her chair, and sighed._

" _I'm afraid I can only give you provisions and send you on your way. I will remain in contact with you. If you need anything, or want know anything, send a letter to Merlin, and he'll get it to me."_

" _Merlin?!" I demanded. "How are you still in contact with Merlin?"_

" _He found me when we were in Netherwood. He was there too, doing some official business or something. He recognised me, made me tell him what happened, and demanded we stay in contact. But…I…I told him not to tell Tedros or Sophie. They wouldn't believe him anyway."_

 _I thought there was probably more to it, but I decided not to press her._

" _So you've been commanding this ship since you were fourteen?" Lancelot asked, frowning._

 _Tempest flinched._

" _I-No, I have only been in command since earlier this month."_

" _What happened to the women who-"_

" _NO!" snarled Tempest, and with one fluid motion, drew a dagger and slammed it into the table._

 _Lancelot and I lurched backwards in shock. Tempest's face was flushed, and her hands were shaking._

" _I'm sorry. You should go."_

* * *

Hort had watched Tedros' face whilst his mother had been explaining. He had been mostly silent and sullen, but now he lifted his head and asked one thing;

"What did she say after telling you to go? I think you're not telling us something."

Guinevere sighed.

"I suppose she did, but you won't want to hear it. It may paint your idea of rescuing her in vain."

They all watched her expectantly. She lowered her eyes, glancing around the dingy corridor as she did so.

"Alright. This is what she said:"

 _No. No, I'm not Agatha anymore. Agatha died the same day everyone thought she did._


	14. Who Wants to Crash An Execution?

**Chapter 14:**

 **Sophie POV:**

"MERLIN THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT HOW IT WENT IN YOUR HEAD!" screamed Guinevere, kicking the barricaded door.

Merlin sighed.

"I had anticipated we wouldn't get caught." He admitted. "But I was right about no-one recognising you, Gwen."

"FAT LOT OF GOOD THAT'LL DO US NOW!" screeched Sophie, frustration rising. She had been so close to getting her sister back, only to lose her yet again.

Guinevere was right. This had not been part of the plan. The plan had been to meet up with Merlin, then sneak down to where the execution was going to be, and hide there until they could get Tempest out.

No one had banked on getting caught by several guards who told them to "stay in safety until the pirates have been executed" and bundled them into this room, barricading the door behind them.

Tedros had been silent, stood by the dark window watching the moon. Hort was sat on the floor, scowling.

Then suddenly, Hort spoke up.

"Where's Lancelot?"

Guinevere rolled her eyes. Tedros made an odd noise between a growl and a sigh.

"He's still in the kingdom somewhere. Said he had something to do, but what I don't know."

They lapsed into silence. Then Tedros spoke.

"Merlin, where did you say they were executing Agatha?"

"In the courtyard. Why?"

"Because it's right below us."

"Huh?"

Everyone scrambled over to the window. Sure enough, there was the dark courtyard, 30 feet below them.

Sophie sighed.

"Nice idea Tedros. But it's too far down."

Tedros huffed in annoyance.

"No. The dungeons are also below the courtyard."

"…so?" demanded Hort.

Tedros groaned.

" _So,_ we can climb into the dungeons, free the pirates, then hide until they take Agatha, then follow them out."

"No." said Hort obstinately.

Tedros shrugged.

"I'm doing it, but I'm not asking you to come. At the very least, me falling to my death from a window will mean you have an opportunity to break down the door and stage a mutiny."

Everyone gaped at him as he picked up a chair- and threw it at the window.

The glass shattered in a resounding crash, and Tedros stepped onto the windowsill. Sophie shuddered. She hated heights.

"I wonder if it's still there…" Tedros mused, peering down into the deserted courtyard.

"What's still there?" squeaked Guinevere.

"Ah! Good." Tedros grinned- and jumped.

Guinevere suppressed a scream and Sophie accidentally slapped Hort.

Everyone nervously peered over the edge-

Tedros scrambled out of a hollow, deep indent filled with water, and bolted, trailing water, across the courtyard, pursued by several guards.

"Oh, the old wine cellar. I forgot that had flooded." Mumbled Merlin, watching as Tedros crashed through a door and out of sight. "They turned it into a pond."

Guinevere exhaled shakily.

"Stupid, stupid boy." She muttered.

They heard yells outside, and the voices grew louder.

"HOW DID HE GET OUT?" howled the captain of the guard.

"He jumped, sir, he broke a window and jumped into a pond."

"GET THE OTHERS-"

The door was flung open-

Hort rammed a chair into the Captain's face, and he went down. The other guard pulled his sword-

Guinevere kicked him in the groin.

"Stupid. Should have been wearing armour." She said, and stepped over his groaning figure.

She turned back to the others.

"Now come on!"

They ran.

Merlin stopped abruptly five minutes later. Hort ran into him.

"OW!"

"Shh!"

"Now, I believe it's time for your execution, Tempest."

"If you say so."

"Have you given up?"

"I've been shot in the back and the shoulder. I have no method of escape. What do you think?"

Arthur paused, seemingly unsure. He avoided the question, and ploughed on.

"Well, enjoy your last sunrise. Guards!"

They heard the clank and chink of armour.

"Come. Now, how would you like to die, pirate?"

"I wasn't aware I had a choice." Said Tempest stiffly.

Footsteps came towards them, growing louder.

"Oh, you don't. You're being shot, the way you've killed so many others. But would you like to be shot in the head or the heart?"

"Head." Said Tempest shortly.

Everyone stood stock still like rabbits in a searchlight as the footsteps came closer, closer…

"Where do we go?" hissed Hort.

Merlin looked around desperately-

"GET OVER HERE YOU IDIOTS!" someone whisper-screamed.

Tedros scrambled over the top of a bunch of barrels and gestured for them to follow him.

In relief, they followed him down into a concealed alcove. In response to Merlin's curious look, Tedros' only reply was;

"I spent a lot of time looking for good sulking spots when I was a kid."

Guinevere chuckled but said nothing, and Merlin smiled.

They peered through gaps between the barrels as the guards clanked past, dragging Tempest and following Arthur.

As soon as they had ascended the steps to the courtyard, Tedros vaulted the barrels once again, and hurried into the cells.

"Hester, you know what to do."

"Sure do, pretty boy." Grinned the first mate. "Alright girls, three, two, one-"

The pirates launched to their feet in one wave- and the wall their chains were pegged to cracked and splintered.

"Once more!" hissed Hester-

The bricks shattered and crumbled, crashing to the floor. Tedros tossed Hester a key, and they began to unlock their manacles.

Sophie, Hort, Merlin, and Guinevere gaped at the destruction.

"How…" wheezed Hort.

Tedros grinned.

"I've had a key since I turned 16. I knew that wall was weak."

"How long have you been planning this?" demanded Sophie.

Tedros chuckled.

"Not long. I thought I might have to just free Agatha."

"Why didn't you?"

"Because Father was nearby all the time, and Hester doesn't ask as many questions. I don't think Agatha even saw me, she was trying to get the bullet out of her back- which by the way, was one of her worse ideas."

Hester ran to the end of the corridor, and rifled through a crate- and pulled out a handful of pistols.

"Bingo."

She looked up and smiled, showing her slightly sharpened teeth.

"Who wants to crash an execution?"


	15. Find The Lie

**Chapter 15:**

 **Tempest POV:**

The guards tossed Tempest towards a stake bolted into the middle of the square, sending her skidding across the flagstones, and making the bullet lodged in her back twinge uncomfortably. Another guard met her there, chaining her wrists to the stake, and wrenching her forcefully to her feet.

No escaping now.

The guard who had chained her to the stake pulled a pistol from his cloak- but not just any pistol.

That was _her_ pistol, or one of them at least.

"What are you-" she began angrily-

 _Crack._

The guard clouted her around the face with the gun. Behind him, flanked by two other guards, she could hear Arthur laughing cruelly. The world spun. She tasted blood.

Tempest spun and spat blood and a back tooth onto the cobbles. Arthur's laughter seemed to reverberate painfully around her skull, bouncing back and forth, taunting her and mocking her-

 _Mocking her._

There was nothing Tempest hated more than being mocked.

With a primal scream she hacked blood and lunged in Arthur's direction.

The chains jerked her wrists and she stumbled backwards and slammed into the stake, meaning she had to fling to her arms around it to stop herself from falling over.

Arthur stepped closer to her, and examined her face, ignoring her lethal glare.

"You have a nice bruise coming up there." He said as matter-of-factly as if he was talking about the weather.

Tempest was trembling with anger now. She could fight, maybe? Maybe if she yelled loud enough someone would question what was going on-

Tedros.

Where was Tedros?

She'd last seen him heading back up to the castle with Merlin, who had acted so well even she'd been impressed. But he had to be somewhere in the castle, right? He wasn't as sadistic as Arthur. He wouldn't let this happen, no matter who she was-

Who she was.

He didn't _know._

 _And he never would._

Not unless Merlin told him, and that was unlikely- he wouldn't want to risk Tedros getting upset. Sophie either.

It had taken every ounce of Tempest's iron will not to reveal herself to her sister. But no, she couldn't and now she never would.

Tempest forced down the angry tears she felt rising, and refocused- to the cheers of a crowd.

Huh?

Tempest looked up in shock to see the courtyard suddenly crowded with people, from castle staff, to guards, to citizens, all baying for her blood. Most faces looked excited, but there was a few rare faces of disgust, worry and compassion which seemed out of place in the ecstatic crowd.

"Thank you for being here." Called Arthur over the din. "I thought you should all see the end of the greatest threat we have seen in decades!"

He paused to let the crowd howl and scream, then continued.

"The girl who kidnapped Agatha Woods! The girl who murdered Lord Stefan soon after! The girl who pirates numerous different ships to make it seem like _it wasn't her_!"

The last words were laced with contempt and derision.

Tempest forced down the urge to vomit. Arthur knew he wouldn't get the crowd all riled up with just her having kidnapped Tedros. No, she had to have done everything else too.

 _Callis_ kidnapped _her_.

 _Aric_ murdered Stefan _._

 _Anemone_ moved on to pirate four ships- and mostly patrolled Pasha Dunes and Jaunt Jolie _, nowhere near_ Camelot.

He was fully and completely lying.

"She kidnapped Tedros, my son and our very own Prince! She has taken and crippled numerous men in the last year alone! So, my subjects, who is the identity of this terrible and ruthless criminal? Who would want the downfall of Camelot?!"

Arthur paused, and his eyes turned bloodthirsty.

The crowd leaned forward.

"WHY, NONE OTHER THAN THE _BASTARD_ DAUGHTER OF GUINEVERE AND LANCELOT!"

Screams and gasps echoed around the courtyard.

Tempest thought she'd been shocked before.

But nothing came close to this.

It was such a good lie. Tempest looked a bit like Lancelot- same dark hair and deep-set eyes. A daughter of theirs would naturally hate Camelot- if she even _existed._ She would have had to been born before her, Tedros and Sophie to be old enough to kidnap Agatha.

Arthur was not just painting her as the villain, but Guinevere as well.

She had to stop it.

"NO!" she yelled, wrenching at the chains. "NO, HE'S LYING! I'M NOT HER! SHE DOESN'T EVEN EXIST!"

The crowd froze, gaping at her. Even Arthur and his guards seemed still. She heard a strangled gasp from behind her, but it was far away and she couldn't look now.

"I'm not her." She repeated desperately, lurching to her feet and disregarding the pain erupting all over her body. "She's made up. I didn't do any of those things apart from kidnap Tedros. I do kidnap men, but I let them go unharmed, mostly. I don't hate Camelot. Because I'm _from_ Camelot. I did kill one pirate. But that was one, and he killed my adoptive mother. And I later found out he also killed my real father."

She met the eyes of one girl in the crowd, her green eyes reminding Tempest of Sophie, and how she would have given anything to tell Sophie these things.

"Because I'm Agatha Woods. And I didn't kill my own father."

There was moment of silence, in which the sun's rays burst over the courtyard's walls.

Then the crowd erupted.

The crowd which had been one minute screaming for her death, now bellowed for her release. They began to riot, hurling things and running forwards-

"STOP THEM!" howled Arthur as his guards clanked forwards to stop the surge. "KILL HER! KILL HER NOW!"

The first guard raised his pistol, and the muzzle glinted in the morning sun.

Tempest had known it wasn't going to work. But she had told them the truth, and that was what she had wanted.

The gun clicked. The guard's finger pulled down on the trigger.

Tempest looked into the barrel and waited for death.

And, in that moment she was Agatha again.

"AGATHA!"

Someone screamed just as the gun went off.


	16. Always Late

**Chapter 16:**

 **Tempest POV:  
**

Tempest waited for the quick flash of pain- and five seconds later wondered why she wasn't dead. She looked up to see the guard's pistol pointed off-target- and a bullet lodged in his head.

"HESTER! ARM OR SHOULDER, NOT THE BLOODY HEAD!"

Tempest tried to turn around- to no avail.

"Oh, whoops."

"You did that on purpose!"

"Oh well."

"BOY!" howled Arthur, fleeing towards the dungeons- as a full out battle launched.

Multiple gunshots shattered the yells of charging guards, and they were sprawled onto the flagstones. Several drew swords and raced towards Tempest-

"TEDROS!" someone yelled- and Tedros vaulted over several small battles and hit the lead guard over the head with his sword hilt, and he went down like a falling tree.

A chain clanked next to Tempest, jolting her out of her shocked stupor as Merlin and Sophie thundered past, and a guy with dark hair knelt next to her, picking the lock.

"Can you fight?" he asked.

"Oh, I've just been shot in the back, hit in the face with a gun and half drowned in the last two days, yeah, just let me singlehandedly murder the whole army." Snapped Tempest, dodging a rouge dagger shooting past her face.

The guy stared at her blankly as the chains released.

"No. No, I can't fight." she said slowly as if talking to a toddler.

"Oh." The guy reddened, then stood and scampered off into battle.

"HEY, ARE YOU JUST GOING TO LEAVE ME HERE?" bellowed Tempest, watching him run off. He didn't reply.

Tempest groaned and lurched to her feet, casting her well-practiced eyes around for a weapon. She was now practically useless in a fight, but she might as well damn try.

* * *

Tedros spun through the guards like a demon, slashing through armour, biting the blade into shoulders and knees and slamming his sword hilt into their helmets, leaving dents which would probably be impossible to hammer out. He was fighting to warn and injure, not to kill. Soon there was a pile of unconscious bodies around him-

Someone tackled him and they both crashed into a wall, then slammed into the flagstones.

The captain of the guard grinned manically above him, his face erupted in swelling and bruises.

"I don't give a damn if you're the only heir to the throne. You'll pay for that little escapade."

Tedros desperately struggled, but the guard was strong and was pinning his arms by his sides. He couldn't reach his sword, which had skittered several feet away.

In one last effort, Tedros flung them over towards the melee, knowing no one would get a clear enough shot to hit the guard and not him-

The guard punched him in the face. His mouth and nose bleeding, Tedros spat blood in his face as a distraction.

As he hissed in disgust and wiped his face, Tedros watched him tug a sword from an unconscious soldier's hand and raise it high above him-

A bullet shot past nearby from a rogue pistol, and the captain dropped the sword in shock. Tedros saw a window of opportunity and kneed him in the groin.

The captain of the guard groaned in pain, but merely snarled and grabbed Tedros by the throat.

They flipped and rolled, grappling angrily, as Tedros struggled and writhed and the guard pressed harder on his throat. His lugs began to throb, begging for air, his head spun from lack of oxygen, yet still he fought. The last thing Tedros saw before blackness tinted the edges of his vision was the glint of a pistol-

 _Bang._

The guard's grip on his neck slackened. He swayed, then collapsed sideways onto the flagstones.

Dead. Shot in the temple.

And there was only one person who could have made that shot without missing and accidentally shooting him instead.

Tedros staggered to his feet, and turned, gulping down huge breaths of air-

And saw Tempest stood in front of him, gripping a smoking pistol and swaying slightly.

"Looks like I was wrong." She said calmly. "I can fight."

Just then, a yell pierced the battle.

"YOU!" howled Arthur, eyes bulging.

"Me." Said Lancelot.

"About time." Sighed Guinevere, appearing behind them as the two men lunged at each other. "He's always late, bless him."

They watched the two ex-knights fight, and Tedros noticed that there was hardly any guards left. Hort was with Sophie on the opposite side of the courtyard, the pirates were scattered around fighting off the last few soldiers, and Merlin was watching Lancelot and Arthur exchange blows with a semi-worried expression.

"KILL THE CAPTAIN-" howled one of the surviving guards, sprinting towards Tempest-

He was blasted backwards onto the ground, a hole smoking in his chest.

"Or the captain kills you." Corrected Tempest, continuing to watch Arthur and Lancelot fight.

The two men fought faster and faster, so evenly matched neither had made a hit. From the corner of his eye, Tedros noticed the crowd from before had slowly begun to seep back into the courtyard, and they were watching with no small amount of apprehension.

With a clatter, Arthur discarded his sword and punched Lancelot in the face. Lancelot did the same, and soon they were in a fistfight, again far too evenly matched-

Arthur drew a dagger from his cloak.

Guinevere gave a strangled gasp.

Arthur lifted the dagger, and at the same time kicked Lancelot backwards so he staggered, trying to regain his balance.

It seemed to happen in slow motion. Arthur poised to throw the dagger, and Tedros knew there was no way Lancelot could avoid it-

"TEMPEST!" screamed Guinevere-

And Tempest shot Arthur in the shoulder.

Arthur roared in fury and pain, spun, and diverted the course of dagger straight at Tempest.

Tempest snorted and stepped sideways.

It hit a guard who was trying to sneak up on her and pinned him to the stones.

"Why try and kill me when I'm probably going to die anyway?" she mocked. Then her face drained of colour, and she fainted at the same time Lancelot pinned Arthur to the ground.


	17. Epilogue

**A/N: Yep, this is the Epilogue. So, if you, my readers, want to decide what I write next, I have a poll up for what I should do. It's up to you guys! Shoutouts to reviewers here:**

 **Kikipanda825, NerdyArtistGirl03, Sent of lavender, agent-gracelin, fangirl (guest), bandidaciega, Grace (guest), Arissa (guest), Annonymousperson (guest), Reader (guest), Mia9506, Taglove, me (guest), SwanDestiny (Hi Destiny), TidePoolAngel, evergirl2000 and any other guest who reviewed!**

 **Also, I think Kikipanda825, NerdyArtistGirl03 and bandidaciega have reviewed almost every chapter, so kudos to you guys!**

 **Here's the epilogue, I'll shut up now.**

 **Epilogue- Sophie POV.**

 **Six weeks later:**

Sophie saw Tedros watch slightly sadly as his father rode into the distance. Exile was too soft a punishment for what he'd done, but Tedros wouldn't kill his father, no matter how much Arthur hated his son.

After Tempest had collapsed, Tedros had given her to Merlin and proceeded to help Lancelot take the struggling and cursing Arthur to the dungeons. Merlin later came to examine him and pronounced him extremely drunk. They left him in the dungeons to dry out, and when Tedros reappeared in public two weeks later, it was to the chant of _King._ He proceeded to remove the death penalty from Guinevere and Lancelot, and pronounce Guinevere as the Queen Regent and Lancelot as Prince Consort until he himself was able to take the throne. But Sophie noticed he didn't mention taking a Queen. She had a sneaking suspicion he never would. Sophie had decided she was better off on her own (much to Hort's dismay), and there was only one other girl- but she had left with her crew and a new ship a week beforehand.

Sophie had spent some time with her sister, mostly in the gardens. They had acted normally, but Sophie could tell how awkward Tempest felt with her. Tedros and Tempest (well, Sophie kept calling her Agatha, much to her irritation) had spent a large amount of time together in the week the Captain was recovering, and they seemed to have come to some kind of agreement-

Until Hort circulated the rumour of seeing them kissing in the library, then made the mistake of mentioning it at breakfast to the two and getting a dagger and a sword respectively launched at his head, further stimulating the rumour.

But Tempest and her crew had left, with a new ship and a promise of not to kidnap any more men from Camelot. ("Yeah, sure." Lancelot had said when they had made this claim) When Sophie had asked Tedros if he thought she'd come back, he was uncharacteristically vague.

"She's one of those people who'll either come back every month or not come back at all. But I think she'll be back at some point."

Sophie had merely sighed and left his study.

But now she snapped out of her thoughts, and followed Tedros down to the chapel.

A new King was needed.

Tedros tried to conceal his yawn as more and more lords, ladies, envoys from different kingdoms and random nobles he didn't know were introduced to him. Why was this bit so _boring?_

"Tedros, can I have a word?"

Tedros turned to see Guinevere stood nearby.

"Of course."

"Well…look, I know you don't want to be King.

"Yeah. Well. Not really."

Guinevere smiled.

"I also know you aren't going to take a Queen."

Tedros saw no point in denying it. He nodded.

"You're right, why?"

"Well…because Lance and I are having a baby."

Tedros took a second to process this.

Then he grinned.

"That's great! It really is! But what's that got to do with me, apart from being my half-sibling?"

"Well, I was thinking…"

Suddenly, Tedros got it.

"Once they're old enough, they can take over from me."

Guinevere looked relieved she hadn't had to say it.

"I know it's bold of me, but…"

"No, I completely understand, Mother, really."

Guinevere sighed in relief.

"Thank you for being so accepting Tedros. I thought maybe…you know, considering when I left…"

Tedros shook his head, suddenly realising how heavy his father's crown was.

"No, I'm not like father was."

"I know."

They stood watching the crowd in a companionable silence for a while. Then the herald spoke one more time.

"King Tedros!"

Tedros turned.

A woman was stood with him, dressed in a dark red gown, her dark hair pinned behind her head. She was stood slightly awkwardly, like she wasn't used to wearing dresses-

"Lady Tempest, my lord!"

Tempest grinned.

"Hello, Tedros. Don't think I completely dropped the pirate façade, I have a thigh sheath and a pistol."

Behind them, Sophie dropped her wine glass.

The End...

maybe.


End file.
